Like a Man and His Bride
by The Holy School of Tornadoes
Summary: Joey and Anzu are thrown into a whirl wind of love when they secretly get married.  The story opens when Joey's best friend, Yugi, finds out that his childhood crush, Anzu, is forever stolen away.
1. Love Takes a Fall

Anzu and Joey held hands as they walked into the burning sun. Thoughts of seasons to come crossed Anzu's mind. Naturally Joey only thought of what he might eat next. Spaghetti perhaps? The couple came to a swing set.

"Hah. I don't know why, but I never turn down a swing set." Anzu laughed.

"Huh," Joey uttered, breaking out of his fantasy of swimming in pasta. "Oh, seriously, me too!"

"Sit next me, sweety-pie." She patted the swing next to her. Joey plopped down onto the swing and mindlessly began to kick his feet up to get it moving. Anzu didn't notice his present distraction. "I'm glad we had time to actually go on a date. It makes me so happy!"

"Eh-what?" Joey glanced at her. Not really knowing what she had said, he decided to start up his own topic. "Hey, what should we get for dinner?"

"It doesn't matter to me." She shrugged. Suddenly her feet stomped the ground, and her swing stopped moving. "Oh, crud."

"What's wrong?" Joey mumbled as he pulled his cell phone, and began text message.

"Yugi's coming." Anzu said. Joey looked up and was also a bit startled to see the short, strange and disfigured lad approaching them. The couple locked eyes with each other, mentally trying to come up with a solution. Obviously neither of them were really telepathic and failed. Anzu spoke up, "What do we do?"

"Just tell him we happened to run into each other…. For the sixth time this week." Doubt flooded Joey's voice. He stood up. "I'll just go hide. Pretend I wasn't here, okay, babe?"

"Wha- Oh, look he's waving. At both of us." Anzu sweated.

"Just say I was someone else! And take that stupid ring off already!" Joey yanked a golden band off Anzu's thin finger.

"Ow! You're so mean, sometimes." Anzu looked to see Yugi coming closer and appearing mildly concerned. "I'm not going to say you're someone else!"

"Whatever! I'm just gonna go hide." Joey jolted off into some nearby bushes. Anzu watched after him, and realized he had left his cell phone on the swing.

"Hey, Anzu, what's with you and Joey. You're awful palsy-walsy these days." Yugi said, now that he was close enough to actually talk to her. Anzu didn't answer. She picked up the cell phone and looked at the screen. A loud "NO!" emerged from bushes. Anger rose up inside the young woman, the text message read, "Dear Tristan, this date sucks, we haven't eaten any food."


	2. Tears

Anzu opened her soar eyes. Where was she? What was she doing here? She quickly sat up and looked around. She was in bed, in her normal clothes and had just been hugging a photo. There were bottles of wine surrounding her. Then it all came to her…

(Flashback)

"What's going on…?" Yugi asked, confused as Anzu stood in shock from reading the text. The phone was snatched from her thick fingers.

"Don't touch my stuff, Anzu!" Joey yelled. She looked scared.

"Why didn't you just say you wanted to eat?" Anzu screamed, tears flooding out of her eyes.

By now, Yugi was speechless.

Joey turned, his face red with anger. His thick robe twirled with his movement. He punched his fist against a tree. "You suck!"

"What?" Anzu begged to know. She fell to her knees and sobbed.

"…Joey!" Yugi yelled, landing on top of him, his fists moving in a way that physically pained Joey. Joey was crying in pain, screaming even. Yugi hurled insults at him and it only made Anzu cry more.

"OWW! SAY SOMETHING, ANZU!" Joey squealed in agony.

"I love you…" Anzu mumbled. Then she looked up, looking him straight in the eye. "…but I shouldn't have married you."


	3. We Used to be Close

Anzu now pulled her limp and weary body off of her bed, and exited her room. Memories of the day before continued to stab her thoughts. After confessing to Yugi that she and Joey were indeed married, only more violence ensued. Yugi in his anger managed to pummel Joey with hurtful attacks until his best friend was no longer able to stand. Then he ran away, leaving Anzu to take care of herself and her husband.

Joey, after finally gathering his strength lurked off on his own. Now, Anzu presently still inside of her house at the moment, found herself wondering who could comfort her. She decided she had to call a friend.

"Hello! Is that Anzu?" Came Ishizu's voice over the other line.

"Hi." Anzu barely squeaked.

"You sound like crap, what's wrong?" Ishizu asked. Anzu expected her blunt and bold friend to get straight to the point. Even over the telephone Ishizu could read Anzu like a newspaper.

"Maybe we should just get the girls together, Ishizu," Anzu could barely keep from sobbing. "It's time I told you all something."

When she got to the café, Anzu's friends were already there slurping up milkshakes. She scoot into one of the seats next to Miho. All of the girls looked either worried, concerned, or downright upset that something might be wrong with Anzu.

"So what's the deal here, Mazaki?" Shizuka demanded.

"Seriously, I thought I might scream when I found out you were in trouble." Mai timidly chimed in. Anzu was touched by the caring comments from her friends.

"Well, this is really hard for me to tell you guys." Anzu lifted her chubby hand to brush her greasy hair out of her face. The girls continued to noisily drink their milkshakes while encouraging her to continue. " I'll just get it over with. To make a long story short. I fell in love, and well, you see, Joey and I love each other and we have been married for the last ten years."

"WHAT!" Screamed all of the girls.

"How could you?" Ishizu grabbed Anzu's shoulders and shook her. "Are you a fool?"

"I'm not denying it." Anzu stated. Tears bubbled out of her swollen eyes and her friends one by one stood up and began to leave. Anzu desperately extended one of her buff arms out to her friends. "Don't go! I need your help!"

"With what? Lying to us? I thought we were friends!" Ishizu screeched as she slowly turned to follow the others. Anzu curled up on the booth that she still sat on, crying herself to sleep.


	4. The Sun Sets

The sun was now setting, and there was not a moment to waste. It was dinner time.

"Kaiba, you all ready to go?" asked a much wounded blonde man.

"Yes, I suppose so, old friend…" With that, Kaiba helped Joey from the couch into his wheelchair, putting every effort to make him comfortable.

He steered his friend's wheelchair outside, into the beautiful world. It was a nice, relaxing walk. Their elegant clothes made of the softest silk reflected the sun's now blood-colored rays, as it sank into the horizon. The gentle zephyr caressed them, their hair tossing in the wind.

"Joey, how are you feeling?"

"Scared."

"What are you afraid of, Joey?" Kaiba steered into a park, and helped Joey onto the ship that awaited them. They were going on a ferry ride, as a way to get away for a few hours.

"I think I'm losing her…" Joey confessed, choking on his emotions. Even Kaiba was moved to tears, sitting on a chair. They were now eye-level.

"You must win her back, my friend." Kaiba reassured. He put his hand on Joey's quivering shoulder, as the blonde man let out a pitiful sob.

"Hey, by the way," Joey perked. "When do we eat?"

Kaiba laughed a very powerful laugh that the whole ship smiled. He spoke in reply, "Now, if that is your wish!"

They filled their rather large bellies with delicious food- corn dogs, potato skins seasoned with garlic, rice, corn, and freshly baked rye bread. They almost forgot their conversation, until Joey received a phone call.

He looked at Kaiba, before answering. "It's from Anzu."

"Answer it, old friend. She's waiting for you."

Joey wheeled away, into a corner, and answered the ringing phone. "Honey!"

"Joey," Anzu's deep voice on the other line began, "We need to talk…"

Chapter- _end_-


	5. Reunited By Love and Tears

"You're doing the right thing." Spoke Odeon. Anzu came to his house looking for Ishizu, but ended up speaking with her fake brother and her real brother instead.

"Definitely, you got this one, girl." Malik added. Anzu whimpered in fear of her husband showing up at the house.

"Thanks you guys, you've been the greatest!" She smiled.

Joey and Kaiba came in and sat on the couch. Joey was still confined to his wheelchair.

"I didn't expect you to be here, Kaiba." Anzu said.

"A real man never deserts his best friend when he is in need of help." The eight feet tall, broad man stood with his arms spread as far apart as the ocean is deep. Then he sat. "Unlike some people I know."

"Kaiba, shut up, Anzu wants to talk to Joey!" Malik howled. Kaiba's lips tightened bitterly while he sat.

Joey put his arm around Anzu and squeaked, "What's going on darling that you have call me away from my delectable cruise?"

"Oh, umm." Anzu looked at her friends, Odeon and Malik, and winked at them.

"Right!" Said Rishid, "Hey Malik and Kaiba, let's go play in the backyard with the dog while these two lovebirds talk business."

"Sure!" They both chimed and flipped away to have fun.

"Joey, our friends hate us." Anzu wailed loudly. Joey laughed, his shoulder's bobbed with his head as tears sprung from his eyes.

"Anzu, no they do not. Our friends are right here, right now, in the backyard, playing with Fido at the moment." He attempted to comfort her.

"I don't know Joey." Anzu's voice screeched doubtfully between her yellow teeth.

"But I do." And the kissed.

"You two are so blessed to have found love." Said Rishid when the guys came back in. "Let's make a call to my sister and your other friends. We must win our friendship back."

"Ok." Said Kaiba as they drove to Pizza Hut to find their friends.


End file.
